CALENDAR DECEMBER 7, 1550 On this day, the coronation of Barbara Radziwiłłówna as Queen of Poland took place in the Wawel Cathedral, which became one of the most controversial and exciting events in the history of the Polish royal court. A less known fact, but confirmed in sources, is the fact that the coronation ceremony took place in an atmosphere of clear political coldness – some secular senators and clergy demonstratively did not appear in the cathedral, treating the coronation as a forced decision of the monarch and opposing the elevation of the Lithuanian magnate to the throne. On December 7, 1550, the ceremony was extremely solemn, but it was accompanied by tension that could not be hidden. Sigismund II Augustus achieved the coronation despite the strong opposition of the nobility and magnates, and above all, despite the strong opposition of his mother, Queen Bona Sforza, who perceived the relationship with Barbara as a political threat to the balance of influence at the court. The royal couple’s marriage was concluded secretly already in 1547, which further intensified the conflict over the legality and justification of the coronation. Barbara Radziwiłłówna came from one of the most powerful families of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which raised fears that the Radziwiłł family would gain excessive influence in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The coronation was therefore not only a religious and state act, but also a political declaration of the king, who for the first time openly opposed some of the elites. During the ceremony, the full royal insignia was used, and the coronation mass was celebrated by the Archbishop of Gniezno. The ceremony took place in the presence of numerous courtiers, but without the traditional enthusiasm that usually accompanied such events. Barbara Radziwiłłówna’s coronation had a dramatic dimension also for personal reasons. She was already seriously ill when the crown was placed, and her health was rapidly deteriorating. She died just a few months later, in May 1551, which strengthened the legend of the tragic queen and one of the most moving romances in Polish history. The event of December 7, 1550 became a symbol of the conflict between the monarch’s feelings and the hard logic of politics.

Historical Calendar #7December 1550 #BarbaraRadziwiłłówna #ZygmuntAugust #Wawel #Coronation #History of Poland #Jagiellonians #Rzeczpospolita